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Fastpitch: Wildcats rally for win over Shorecrest

A late rally and strong relief pitching carried the Oak Harbor High School fastpitch team to a 5-4 extra-inning win over Shorecrest Friday, March 18, at Hillcrest Elementary School.

Down 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats pushed across three runs to send the game to extra innings and then scored in the eighth for the win.

Meanwhile, pitcher Emily Saar entered the game in the third inning and held the Scots to no earned runs the rest of the way to allow the Oak Harbor offense time to get back into the game.

After Samm Zimmerman drove in Bailey Martinez for Oak Harbor in the second inning, Shorecrest (0-1) scored three in the third and one in the fourth for its 4-1 lead.

Zimmerman led off the seventh with a double and moved to third on an error off the bat of Nichelle Trumbull. Amanda Pavey singled in Zimmerman and Saar’s base hit scored Trumbull.

Morgan Young then tied it up with a single that scored Pavey.

Martinez walked in the eighth, then with two outs, another walk moved her to second. Trumbull, with two strikes, drove a grounder through the right side. When the right fielder tried to force Trumbull at first and failed, Martinez scored the game-winner.

Zimmerman finished the day 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a run and a walk.

Martinez was 3-for-4 with a walk, run and stolen base.

Saar was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases. On the mound in five-and-a-third innings in relief of Emily Hunt, she allowed one unearned run while striking out three and walking three.

Oak Harbor coach Jess Weikle said, “Emily Saar came in and did a great job, getting strikes, taking the power away from the hitters. (Catcher) Shawna Steele deserves much attention for controlling the game’s pace, setting her pitchers up for success and giving her fielders easy grounders and fly balls. The battery combined with the hitting gave us our win.”

She added that the Wildcats are “coming together as a team, slowing gaining confidence and momentum.”

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